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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25034152">He is young, He's afraid</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish'>romeoandjulietyouwish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lis Writes 9-1-1 [26]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bombs, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s02e18 This Life We Choose, Evan "Buck" Buckley Needs A Hug, Explosions, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt Evan "Buck" Buckley, Hurt/Comfort, Men Crying, Parental Bobby Nash, Protective Bobby Nash, Sad Evan "Buck" Buckley, Whump, Worried Bobby Nash, Worried Evan "Buck" Buckley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:41:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,285</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25034152</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Bobby getting hurt in the bomber episode</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Howie "Chimney" Han</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lis Writes 9-1-1 [26]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>172</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>He is young, He's afraid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bobby feels like he’s in a nightmare. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second he realizes the bomb would be in the firehouse, he began to imagine all of the ways that this could end. He hadn’t thought of this one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck is laying in the street battered and bloody with an entire ladder truck on top of his leg. Other firefighters were thrown from the truck and are laying on the pavement. Freddie stands in the middle of it all, bomb strapped to his chest. Bobby watches as Chimney steps forward as Freddie asks for the captain, his arms raised above his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows before Freddie says it that Chimney isn’t the captain he’s looking for. He has to do what he needs to do to protect his family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Bobby whispers into Athena’s ear as he pushes past the police forming a barricade and into the intersection, ignoring their calls after him. This is his responsibility, now he has to pay up and keep Buck and the rest of his crew safe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freddie,” Bobby calls, getting the boy’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns around and faces Bobby, a manic crazy in his eyes. “Thought you’d be on the truck.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here now.” Bobby cast a glance down at Buck, he’s looking worse and worse by the second. “What’s next? Is this what you wanted?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted you dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get that, but what about them.” Bobby forces himself to focus, it doesn’t matter what happens to him, he’s got to protect his firefighters. “What about him?” Bobby nods at Buck who looks up at him in pain. “He’s got parents, a sister, a girlfriend and he never did anything to you. He wasn’t even a firefighter when your father burned down that restaurant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Collateral damage.” Freddie doesn’t even look at Buck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that how you see yourself?” Bobby takes a step forward. “An unintended victim in all this?” Another step.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” Freddie tightens his grip on the trigger. Bobby freezes, eyes flashing to the bomb. “One more step, we all go boom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freddie, you got dealt a bad hand and I am sorry about that,” Bobby treads carefully now. The bomb is going to go off, he just needs to get it far enough away from Buck. “But what you did with it, that’s a choice. You stopped being a victim the moment you left that first bomb.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That lawyer she-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did her job,” Bobby cuts in. “We were all doing our jobs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Destroying my family,” Freddie spits. “My mom and I lost everything. She was in so much pain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanna make it worse? You wanna make her watch you die?” Bobby sees Athena and another police officer leading Freddie’s mother into the intersection. Athena makes worried eye contact with him, but he shakes his head minutely and quickly mouths, I’m sorry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Freddie is distracted, Bobby grabs him from behind, trying to wrestle the trigger out of his hand. “No!” Freddie struggles with him and Bobby can feel his finger inching closer and closer to the button. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not getting out of this alive, not if it’s a choice between him and his firefighters. He holds on tight to Freddie as he uses all of his strength to propel them away from the truck. He swings a leg into Freddie’s knee, making him collapse onto the ground with Bobby still holding onto him. He hears Athena and Chimney and Buck and everyone shout as Freddie presses the trigger and the world goes black.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Chimney watches in horror as the bomb explodes, engulfing Freddie and Bobby. He watches his captain thrown a few feet into the air, landing on the ground with a sickening smack. Buck screams hoarsely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he’s running. He sprints towards them, Eddie and Hen on his heels. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chim, you get Buck, Eddie and I’ll check on Bobby,” Hen tells him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods quickly and veers right. Buck looks up as he comes closer and it looks a lot worse up close. Chimney shakes off that thought and kneels down next to Buck. His friend groans in pain. Blood covers the left side of Buck’s face, seeming to come from somewhere on his head, but tears carved their way through it and form a puddle on the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bobby...” Buck breathes, clearly struggling through his pain to make words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hen and Eddie are looking after him,” Chimney tells him. “I need you to focus, okay? How are you feeling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kinda numb,” Buck tells him. He can see that Buck isn’t looking at him, but instead past him to where Hen and Eddie are. He carefully positions himself so Buck can’t see them anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chim reaches down and feels his pulse. It’s fast and his breathing seems to be shallow. “Just hang in there, Buckaroo.” He spares a quick glance at Eddie and Hen and the other paramedics on the scene attending to Bobby and Freddie. “I need hands over here!” He shouts. Two paramedics and firefighters rush over. “Probable crush injury,” he tells them quickly. “We need to get this truck off of him. He presses on his radio, “This is Captain 118, I need all available hands to move this truck and clear a path to the nearest trauma center.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re running out of time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby and Buck are dying in the street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Hen running with a stretcher, Bobby on top of it. That gives him a little hope, Bobby’s not gone yet. He catches a flash of white and sees Eddie pulling a white sheet over Freddie’s body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eddie!” He shouts. “I need help over here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks up and immediately runs over to Chim, eyes intense. “What can I do?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need you to help lift the truck so I can pull him out.” Eddie nods and quickly grabs on to the truck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chimney crouches down beside Buck again. “Bobby?” Buck asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s on his way to the hospital. I need you to hold still, try not to move.” He looks up at Eddie and nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lift on three!” Eddie shouts. “One, two, three!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The firefighters and paramedics use all their strength to push the truck up. Buck screams in agony, tears streaming down his face. But they’re not strong enough the truck slams back down the few inches it had been lifted, making Buck cry out again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need more people,” Eddie tells him hopelessly. “There’s no way we can lift this alone.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chimney nods, “Dispatch, this is Captain 118, we-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can finish, the bystanders push past the police barricades and run to them. Chimney has never been a praying man, but as everyone puts a hand on the truck and Eddie counts down, he prays that this will work and that this will free his friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This night has been hard enough for them all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edie tightens his grip on Buck’s arms. Buck cries, biting his lip, as the truck is slowly lifted off his foot. Every second Chimney has to wait pains him, but finally, there is enough space for Chimney to drag Buck out from the truck. The truck crashes to the ground and Eddie helps Chimney get Buck onto a stretcher and rushed into the ambulance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last thing Chimney sees before the doors slam shut is blood on the pavements reflecting the flashing lights. </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Buck wakes up slowly. He feels floaty, almost like he’s not completely solid. Everything around him is warm and soft. He hears the murmur of voices, but can’t understand any words. Then he feels a soft kiss on his forehead and he sinks right back into sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Buck wakes up again he feels more grounded. He digs his fingers into the stiff sheets underneath him and exhales as he forces his eyes open. Blinking a few times to adjust to the brightness, Buck sees someone standing above him. She has tears in her eyes as she smiles down at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maddie?” He breathes out. “How long have I been out?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A few days.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck looks down at himself and finds his left leg in a thick white cast. “The ladder truck?” Buck asks. She nods and a second later he’s holding his crying sister in his arms. His thoughts immediately go to Bobby. The bomb exploded and Bobby was right next to it. Maddie’s crying that must mean… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maddie sits up and wipes her tears away with her thumb, “I’m sorry. You’re the one in the hospital bed, I shouldn’t be such a mess.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck shakes his head and takes a deep breath, “Is Bobby…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, oh my gosh I should have said that first. He’s stable.” Buck exhales a dramatic sigh of relief. “The doctors think he has a good chance of making a full recovery. He’s not awake yet, but they’re hopeful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” Buck asks. “He-He was right next to the bomb.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call it a miracle,” Maddie smiles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I see him?” Buck asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go ask the doctor,” she pats his hand. “And I need to call Chim, they all got called into work so I’ll let them know that you’re okay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Buck says as Maddie gets up. She smiles down at him and then kisses his forehead, just like she used to do when he was little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fifteen minutes later, Maddie comes back with a nurse and a wheelchair. The nurse helps Buck out of bed and then starts pushing him towards Bobby’s room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he’s inside, Buck feels like he can’t breathe. Bobby is laying on the bed, thick gauze covering what Buck can see of his chest as well as some of his forehead. His arms are burned and red, but his chest is rising and falling evenly. That’s what Buck forces himself to focus on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And in the chair beside the bed is Athena she looks up at him when the door opens and gives him a sad smile, “You’re a sight for sore eyes, Buckaroo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Buck says. “Um, can I sit with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, honey,” Athena shifts her chair to give Buck room for the wheelchair to fit. “I think he’ll be glad to know you’re okay.” Buck leans his head on her shoulder and she takes his hand.  “I hope you know that once you’re both out of the hospital, neither of you are leaving my sight until you’re better again,” Athena tells him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck smiles, “You might have to fight Maddie on that one.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll give in,” Athena says. Buck takes a deep breath as Athena rubs her thumb over his knuckles. “How are you feeling?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay.” He looks down at his leg, “It doesn’t hurt so much.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck sits with Athena for as long as the doctors let him. Eventually, he has to go back to his own room and get looked over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Come the next morning, he’s back in Bobby’s room. This time Athena isn’t there, probably because she has to get her kids to school. Buck sits quietly at Bobby’s side, lost in his thoughts. He is pulled out of them by a groan. Bobby shifts on the mattress, his eyes still closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He makes a soft humming sound and then Bobby’s eyes slowly open and he looks right at Buck. “Evan?” Bobby’s voice is dry and scratchy. Buck nods, pretending not to notice Bobby calling him by his given name. “You’re okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Buck smiles. “I’m okay. Not as bad as you. I’m not trying to be mean, but you look like shit, Bobby.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby rolls his eyes, “Not even a minute after I wake up and you’re already ribbing me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck shrugs, “It’s what I do best.” Bobby laughs gently and the two fall into silence for a moment. But something is weighing on Buck’s mind. “Why did you stay? Why didn’t you run as soon as he pushed the trigger?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby smiles and reaches out to touch Buck’s hand, “I had to get him away from you. You didn’t deserve to get any more hurt because of my mistakes. If I hadn’t then you would have been in the blast radius. I did what I knew would keep you safe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck bites his lip, “You have Athena and May and Harry, you-you could have died trying to protect me, you almost did.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would have been worth it,” Bobby squeezes Buck’s hand. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing that I failed another one of my kids. You’re really important to me, Buck. What kind of parent would I be if I stood by and watched you get hurt because of me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His kid. Buck can’t deny that it doesn’t make his heart soar to hear that. He’s never really been anyone’s kid, his parents didn’t love him and he never had anyone who loved him that way until he met Bobby. Buck can’t stop himself from leaning forward and embracing Bobby as much as he can, crying into his neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bobby… I...” Buck can’t get all the words he wants to say out, they’re stuck in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, kid,” Bobby runs a hand over the back of his head. “We’re okay.” Bobby lets Buck stay like that for a few minutes before Buck sits up and quickly dries his tears with the back of his hand. Bobby smiles at him, “I feel like we’re going to be spending a lot of time together for the foreseeable future, so why don’t we just save the rest of the emotional talks for later, and right now just be happy that we’re both alive to tell the tale.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck smiles through his tears, “Sounds good to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are very much appreciated!</p><p>Tumblr- @evanbuckley-heartofgold</p></blockquote></div></div>
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